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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Azeri oppn activist on hunger strike hospitalised |
| 2006-01-14 |
| BAKU â An Azerbaijani opposition activist was hospitalised yesterday on the 16th day of a hunger strike after his health took a rapid turn for the worse. Three colleagues vowed to keep up their action, which is intended to dramatise their demand to reinstate two of them, Turan Aliyev and Namik Feyziyev, in Baku universities where they had been studying. The demonstrators allege the two were expelled for their political convictions. A third hunger striker, Emin Huseynov, said before being taken to the hospital that he had lost 10kg, his head was spinning and his kidneys hurt, âbut I am afraid that our doctors will do something that could worsen my condition.â The demonstrators belong to the Yeni Fikir, or New Thought, opposition youth movement, two of whose leaders have been jailed on suspicion of conspiring to spark an uprising in Azerbaijan. Police on Thursday prevented about 15 students who belong to the opposition Popular Front of Azerbaijan from approaching the Ministry of Education in Baku to demand the two studentsâ reinstatement. Ministry spokesman Bayram Huseynzade denied any political motive behind the studentsâ expulsion. Feyziyev was kicked out for failing six exams and Aliyev for violating discipline, Huseynzade said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |